The Role Of Vitamins Before And During Pregnancy
Dr. Lisa Bodnar, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health states, "Taking a multivitamin does not pose any high risk, and a woman planning on getting pregnant can potentially benefit from it."
This may be good news for those women who are considering pregnancy in the near future. One of the biggest fears of pregnant women is the fear of preeclampsia. This condition is also referred to as toxemia and is the major reasons mothers die during childbirth. Toxemia can result in pregnancy related deaths, early births and other serious conditions that may threaten both the mother and the child. It has been found to be less common in women who are taking multivitamins at the time of conception and continue to take a multivitamin during pregnancy.
Studies show that mothers with preeclampsia have children that are five times more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth than women who do not have this condition. Studies show that 15 percent of early births in the United States alone are caused by preeclampsia and there is no cure for this condition. The only action that can be taken is birth.
It is understandable why doctors recommend taking prenatal vitamins and why so many women continue to take them as long as their supply lasts after birth. It is reported that taking just one multivitamin each week before getting pregnant and one each week after getting pregnant reduces the risk of preeclampsia by 45 percent in most women. In those women who are at a normal weight when they become pregnant the decline in preeclampsia incidents declined by a whopping 72 percent!
These statistics are amazing and all because of taking a multivitamin before and during pregnancy. It isn't known exactly which nutrient in the multivitamin produces this decrease in preeclampsia.
Women who have had an incident of preeclampsia or toxemia in a prior history has an increased risk of developing it again during any later pregnancies. Once again it proves the importance of taking a multivitamin to be sure you are getting all the essential nutrients your body needs to support you and your unborn child.
Prenatal vitamins can be large and sometimes are not easy to take. If that is the case, your doctor may recommend a good liquid multivitamin. Liquid multivitamins are easier to digest, go to work faster, and allows the body optimal absorption and is sometimes recommended to those who have severe vitamin shortages.
Check the labels of any multivitamin you are considering for purchase. They should have a minimum of 50 to 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of each vitamin and mineral included in the supplement. If the labels are similar in composition, you may want to rely on your doctor's recommendation. Most vitamins are similar in composition and choosing the least expensive is fine. The important thing to remember is to take that multivitamin and be consistent!
